Highway 101
by Dark Brew
Summary: Encounter with a vampire. OFC Edie drives home along 101. 2 parts
1. Chapter 1

Title: Highway 101  
Author: Dark Brew  
Rating: K  
Category: Movie- Twilight  
Disclaimer: Just messin'  
Warnings: Language, eery things  
Summary: Encounter with a vampire.

**Part One**

This time of year you got used to not looking at the sky in Seattle, for the most part it was grey with rain clouds so there was rarely a point. The sun on the northwest coast did put in an appearance on occasion, illuminating the sweeping bays and the crisp cold Pacific water, but as far as Edie was concerned there were more interesting things to look at if you kept your eyes earthbound- buildings, books, coffee cups, men, sometimes. The trunk of her car slammed shut and she took a last glance up at the house where she rented a room to say a somewhat wistful goodbye. Alright so projecting attachment onto wood and brick perhaps didn't display the keenest sense of mental health, but she would truly miss this place for the few days she would be Home. Her parent's home that was, due west of the city- 'out in the sticks'- whatever that meant. She wondered idly if they meant across the Styx. Sometimes it felt like that.

Her father had been a fish farmer all his life, he knew practically all any one would ever want to know about halibut or crabs. Which sadly wasn't much in her case. Instead of donning waterproofs and studying marine biology she had picked up an umbrella and headed east to the college where libraries and the smell of old books rather than fish guts had caught her attention.

The car door closed with a very definite clunk and she turned the ignition, simultaneously thinking lovely encouraging sparky kinds of thoughts towards her battery. Couldn't hurt. A slight cough and the engine obliged, a clear example that the affections of inanimate objects were not to be trifled with. The radio filling the interior with tinkling cheery voices and the heater blasting out full volume had her relax back into her seat, depressing the pedal to pull out into the traffic in hopes of smooth motoring.

In fact the route from her tenement cloister covered in books and papers, coffee cups and clothes, was predictably choca block with cars heading home for the weekend. People escaping Seattle, city jobs and stress for a few days downtime and no doubt murderous intent towards the turkey population to boot. Edie winced to herself; her new found vegetarianism was likely to go down about as well a plague of frogs. Sometimes you had to be determined to say what it was you needed to be thankful for.

She had to drive south in order to double back on herself and cross the water, and I-5 was always a nightmare whatever time of day or night, never mind a holiday weekend. There was really nothing to do but drive slow and wait for the turn off that said Bremerton. From there it was miles more on slow old roads skirting the Olympic National Forest, least she didn't have to go as far as La Push, that would add another hour or more. Still it was pretty out there- maybe she would take her folks for a day trip out to see the open ocean.

As it was her Dad always said that standing on his side of Puget Sound he could throw a stone that would bounce off her roof in Seattle but that it would take him half a day drive to go fetch it again. It wasn't far from the truth. She could have taken the ferry, but well, if she was honest she liked to meander, and at least cars kept their wheels firmly on the ground.

Slowly she snaked her way from the city to the next urban landscape and the next, the orange grey illumination blurring into one. Burien, Des Moins, Redondo and at last the turn onto the Tacoma Narrows Bridge on 16 - the way back over the water. Miles sped past faster now as the people thinned out, it felt good to be back on the islands.

She eventually pulled over just north of Silverdale for a pit stop with coffee and sugar and as she turned off the engine she squinted out through the windscreen at the sky. _Holy Shit! Someone turn the lights out up there? _Like being under one of those magicians black velvet cloths she mused as she grabbed her bag.

Inside the road side diner she slid herself behind a plastic cheery table that invited one to sit, but not for too long. Evidently this was not a three calendar place. She was used to being on her own, but here in the brightly lit diner she felt the sophistication of urbanity slip into the conspicuousness of a woman at night in the country without a husband, or at least a man who passed for one.

'How ya doing there? Travelling alone?"

"Fine. Thank you." No harm in being almost friendly right? She had studied avoidance and returned from acknowledgement of the attentive man at the next table to the menu as soon as she could. Usual fare. Nevertheless she couldn't help but be conscious of his intent glances, and her wish that she had said 'To Go'. The posters on the wall really weren't that fascinating.

"Been driving all night"

Edie wasn't quite sure what to say to that, difficult to tell whether to offer slight condolence or admiration by way of fobbing off further conversation. She settled for a half grimace and a vacant expression.

"Where you from?"

'Frankly anywhere far from here' seemed like being rude so she just waved her hand vaguely in any direction and took another mouthful of hot coffee.

"Name's Ed. On my way back to Port Angeles. Truck's outside"

She almost replied 'Really? Isn't that a co incidence?' but just stopped herself in time, it seeming to be invite a familiarity she would rather not foster. Oh he was alright she was sure, just lonely on the road no doubt, but all the same she wasn't looking for a pen friend, never mind any company. "I am heading home too, Sequim Bay. My father is the Sullivan of Sullivan's fishery there." There let that be an end to it. She didn't add 'so someone will be expecting me' but perhaps that was some of the message. She looked somewhat hopefully up at the waitress but there was no sisterly salvation to be had, so with a slightly scalded mouth and a sugar rush, on account of the double dipped donut, Edie left quietly and as quickly as she could.

Outside it was darker than black, no moon at all, just a blank sky and she felt her self shiver as she crossed the parking lot. Beyond the lights of the truck stop there was pure nothing, like being in a spotlight on stage she supposed. Nothing that was visible at least. The briefest thought of a silent audience watching had her legs stretch as she walked fast to her car and slammed the door behind her. It was cold right? Fumbling for the switch she flicked on the head lights and jumped at the large figure illuminated in their beam. Her eyes wide she reached to press the door lock down.

Slightly dazzled the man held his arm over his eyes but continued to walk towards her car purposefully. She couldn't just drive forwards, she would hit him! Nonetheless he was intent on her that was for sure. Her teeth gritted, Edie reached in her purse for something that might help. Biro. Tissue. Christ surely she had something better than that? Her cell phone. Yes! _See? Look I am dialling 911...Right now…see my fingers?_ She half saw him shake his head and grin, waving something in the air. It took a minute before she recognised her jacket. Fuck.

Winding down the window she did her best to wipe the panic off her face "Thanks, Ed. Damn I must have plain forgot it!"

"You'll need it tonight. Mists, they said. On the radio"

Edie rolled her eyes; didn't the forecasters ever get tired of saying that? It wasn't much further home and she was brought up navigating her way on 101 when you couldn't see the verge, well you just had to get used to it round here. That said it had been a while and it was just so incredibly dark. Edie peered up at the sky, like a sailor looking for a hint of blue to make a pair of trousers from, but really there was nothing to inspire expectation.

"Thanks" she looked back at his sincere face for a second "Thanks I appreciate it"

"Drive careful now!"

"Will do"

Edie wouldn't have admitted it but she was very slightly sorry to see him disappear into the dimness, but she turned the wheel to face outward into the road in any case.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part Two**

In the day time the drive along the edge of the National Park was a sight to behold - huge conifers that towered above a moving sea of ferns and vines, nothing that didn't move escaped the moss and lichen that seemed to visibly creep. Now though, as she sped along the decreasing road, she just saw flashes of the silvery trunks in the headlights, sudden bends confronting her with illuminated celluloid undergrowth, as if someone were turning the handle on a spool film projector in some turn of the century picture house. _Slow down Edie, think pumpkin pie! Mum and Dad will never eat all that on their own!_ She took a deep breath and wriggled in her seat. Leaning forward to try to see better through the dark mist. From time to time the road dipped deep into the forest itself, snaking around to find a river crossing or to avoid plunging hapless drivers into the ocean and Edie found herself driving slower and slower. It wouldn't be hard to imagine that she was the only one on this road, two small disks of light in the whole forest.

Damn radio! She twiddled the knobs to try and retune, the cheery voice had almost disappeared into crackles as the trees ingested the radio waves. Surely there must be something- one of those local stations to keep her company. Her attention taken just briefly with the dial she took her eyes from the road in brief snatches. _Must be something_. And there was. But it was nothing like music. The thunderous warning horn from the enormous logging truck that appeared to fill the windscreen had her grab the wheel with both hands and pull down hard, the tyres skimming over the wet tarmac, the tread struggling to regain hold as Edie slammed on the brakes. Skidding and slipping there wasn't long enough to compose a prayer so instead a months worth of contributions to the household swear box found their way from her mouth until the car finally came to a stop. Glancing at the rear view mirror she saw the trucks tail lights disappear round a bend its hazards flashing a Drive-on-your-own-side-next-time Goodbye.

The galloping of her heart beat however was only just beginning to slow as she pulled over off the edge of the road, she just needed a minute to catch her breath, check all her bits were still in tact and curse some more. _Jesus, that was close!_ Those boys didn't hang about that's for sure, always the next load to get to. The engine stalled as her hands shook a little on the stick. She just sat for a second, completely still and quiet now.

She had given up smoking. Yes she had. But nevertheless her hand strayed to the dashboard, sure there was a stale packet in there somewhere. Old arguments to and fro about 'times like these' and chemicals churned over in her head before she decided fuck it and searched for the matches. Opening the door gingerly she stepped into the slightly squelchy mud and flicked the sulphur so it burned. Nothing like shortening your life to celebrate not having lost it. Leaning against the bonnet she looked around and tried to focus on her surroundings while she smoked.

The forest creaked here, the wood mostly wet and pliable it moved with the rumbles of wind and the earth, the leaves flickering with the breeze from the ocean. As she stood listening, surrounded by dark, her brow flinched with the more rapid, urgent movement in the ferns. What the hell was that? Instinct had her reach for the door but not fast enough, in the next second she was brushed by fur and teeth, heavy claws bounding over the roof of her car in a blur of movement that had a tail. _Christ! Mountain Lion!_ She hadn't had time to even think that this was way out of territory before a crash of wailing spitting bloody teeth landed in front of her. Shit. This one had no tail, nor mane. Her body rigid she stopped quite still and stared. This was no Lion. He- it whatever- had a slight body, thin, a boys face almost except for the almost black eyes and Edie felt herself whimper with fear. Whatever, who ever this was…well there was no chance. It was over. Her cigarette fell from her fingers.

"Jasper" it wasn't even a word, more of a growl. She couldn't move her head an inch, take her eyes off this thing in front of her, all she knew was that there was something else to the side of her, still in the trees but getting closer. Every hair on her body was on end, frozen with overwhelming terror; all her instincts screamed "Run!" There was no way she'd make it, it was as if he could see her heart beating in her chest, every single pulse has his eyes flicker

"Don't move"

She knew she couldn't anyway, her eyes just flitting sideways as the whatever, it must be a man - he was speaking afterall- came closer. But she heard herself cry out. Blood…there was blood all over his chest, on his mouth. Two of them. What ever they were. This was it.

"Jasper back off…the lion" He was almost pleading, but she couldn't even get her mind to consider what he was saying. The next instant had her eyes struggle to keep up with the movement- two bodies twisting like Tom cats crashing in the trees and ferns, breaking for seconds only to engage again in another vicious fight while she stood pressed against the car. Shakily she reached behind herself and grabbed the silver door handle wrenching it open. Her body moved before her head and she scrambled on to the seat. _Keys…where are the keys?_ She was hardly breathing, panic setting into her hands as she searched her pockets _come on come on,_ desperate glances out the window that she didn't want to take. There was no sign _Don't care… drive...get the keys in the ignition_. Her shaking hands fumbled with them unable to grasp the metal, letting them slip into the foot well. _NO NO…Edie come on get the keys._ Her head down she frantically felt for the key chain. Too late. A thump on the roof and she opened her mouth to scream but there was no sound.

She screwed her eyes up tight and waited for it to be over. _Mum, Dad I love you…_

"Drive! Get out of here! NOW!"

Edie turned her head slightly, almost too frightened to look at the source of the voice at the window. He wasn't looking back at her but glancing quickly around the car into the trees down the road. "You have no time! Drive!"

Her hand searched desperately in amongst the plastic mat and the odd chip packet, she wasn't even sure if she would know what they felt like anymore, all she could feel was fear "I…I can't" Was she nuts? She was talking to a man, something, with blood all over his bare chest on his hands. In an instant he had the door open and was pulling her out "Jesus….no..."

She watched his face twitch and he closed his eyes "Unless He has a better idea, you better hold on tight to me"

"What??"

He flinched and turned his head sharp to the left "Hold on" and Edie left the ground. There was nothing she could do but cling on for grim death. They were flying, almost. Bouncing from one tree to another as they sped up the slopes of that would take a day to hike, covering ground in metres at a time. She could hardly breathe the air rushed so fast her head reeling with the bare choice- hold on or fall. She never imagined a rock and hard places like this, but survival at least in the present had her tighten her grip around his body. She just tried not to think about where he might be taking her, or what he might do when they got there. Her head down on his shoulder to shelter her eyes from the leaves and branches, she shivered. Christ it was so cold.

Time came and went she just held on until at last the pace seemed to slow and now a new fear churned in her belly, she felt him return his feet to the ground and she held her breath in as she watched his head turn.

His maple brown eyes searched hers looking for fear. He found it and shook his head almost imperceptibly; just a whisper on his lips "No"

Edie slid down the length of his back and willed her legs to hold her up. It seemed she wasn't in charge of much this night and they crumpled, sending her sprawling backwards into the undergrowth. He was quick, she hardly saw him move, standing over her with his hand offered to help. Maybe. Hardly breathing she shuffled herself back and struggled to her feet.

He let his hand fall to his side as he spoke soft words that caressed her, lulled her "I won't hurt you."

_I don't know that_. She took a step back glancing sideways for something, she wasn't sure what. Anything. A longer life maybe.

"I promise. I am not…"

She could have sworn he whispered something to himself before he frowned. Whatever it was it apparently meant he wasn't about to attack her. Edie swallowed loud and spoke as demandingly as she could. A thousand and more questions in her head she was torn between wanting to understand what had just happened and needing to escape. Despite that there was something unnerving about how he looked, how he moved, those perfect teeth, his mouth, something that meant she couldn't quite make her eyes stay away. She settled on the former and fired her first one. "Who are you?" It seemed more polite than the 'what?' which was insistent in her head. Though quite why she was bothering with etiquette right now she didn't know.

"Sorry"

It was impossible to follow his jagged conversation. He seemed to be having a different one to her. "What?"

"I am sorry you were involved. That was…errrr…unfortunate. That you had to see. That he...threatened you like that."

For all his sureness of action he seemed unable to choose what words to use. Treading delicate feet around words he didn't want to say out loud and in the end evidently deciding not to explain at all. He frowned "I can't leave you alone. Here"

Edie wasn't sure she wanted him to either. Better the devil you know – wasn't that what her mom always said? Though perhaps in this instance she might doubt the sanity of a life held cliché. "I asked you a question! Who the hell are you? How were we flying?"

He was actually smiling, the corner of his mouth turning up as he glanced sideways at her from under dense dark brows "Like Superman I believe" he coughed slightly "only less lycra"

Edie looked incredulous at him, a moment or two ago he had wrenched her out of what she had assumed was certain demise and now he was talking about men in tights? But that, it appeared, was all the explanation she was getting - he had answered one question and that with a joke. A shiver passed through her, shock setting in or cold she wasn't sure, both, and him standing there studying her face. Yeah that did it. Either way he caught her mood and frowned as he studied her face.

Edie couldn't help herself. Her eyes lowered to look at the dark red brown smears still on his chest. But not his blood. _He should be scratched, cut, bleeding himself…from that fight. His skin is perfect still. Not a single mark._

"My skin is just different. It's…complicated"

Her head snapped up "I didn't say anything about your skin! How did you…?"

He winced just slightly, but he was, it seemed, a master of evasion "Look I will get you home, Jasper…he… is better now" She was sure he was nervous, his eyes flitting around still "But I will get you back with your kind."

What a strange way he had of talking. Like he was slightly out of time, either forward or back she wasn't quite sure. But there wasn't much to say to that. And certainly not "No no, I demand that you take me back to my car" so she nodded. However now that imminent danger had passed, the deft whisk he had performed to drag her out of the car and onto his body seemed unecessary. She found herself looking up at him- tall and frankly a long way from the ground. She wondered exactly how one ended up getting back on, so to speak.

He smiled and stuck out his hand with a flourish "Edward, your carriage for tonight". Edie grinned until, that was, his hand touched hers. The cold and the strength of his grip as he spoke had her wince. "But you have to promise me something."

Edie stared back at him. Now that his face was near hers she felt confused, drunk almost, like she had already professed undying devotion and was just waiting for him to kiss her.

Edward leaned an inch or two closer, his voice honey with just a hint of lemon "Not to tell"

***

Late next morning she slowly climbed out of the bed she had listened to bed time stories in, and padded down to the kitchen where the concerned eyes of her parents tried their best to not over react. Her father seated in his usual chair put down his paper and patted the one next to him for her to sit down "Bill says we can use his tow truck- I will go fetch that car of yours after my eggs"

"Oh John, what does she care about that? Life and limb that's the important thing!" Her mother soothing her hair. She could be six years old again.

"Thanks Pop, well I expect it was just the battery died. Like I say- swerved to avoid a rabbit and ended up stalling"" There had been no good reason to think of last night to start a whole conversation that would end up in how she shouldn't be driving late at night if she was going to pick fights with logging trucks, so she had just brushed past that one quick.

Her father shook his head and muttered about foreign cars as a plate of eggs and toast slid in front of him. Her mom stood over her smiling at something that wasn't quite clear. _Just glad to have me home_ Edie decided.

"Lucky that young man came by and gave you a lift. But what a shame that he disappeared so quick – least we could have done to thank him!"

"He seemed in a rush to get home himself, Mom. But yes it was"

Edie poured herself coffee and looked out of the window. Rain.

"A young man called for you while you were sleeping, said he had met you last night so I guessed that was him- called to ask if you were doing alright. Said he was just checking up on you. Supposin' he got the number from the operator?"

Edie felt herself waver a little, not sure if it was it was a fresh flush of fear or something quite different. Checking up on what exactly? "Yeah?"

"Said his name was Ed…was it?" Her mother paused and flipped over the eggs in the pan as Edie grimaced. _Oh. _"No. No- Ed_ward_, that was it. He was most insistent now I think of it. Yes. Lovely voice."

"Your mom invited him round this evening anyway- once she found out he is local- hails from just over in Forks apparently! She had quite a chat from what I heard, you know how she likes to talk!" He ignored the open mouth of his daughter and just shrugged "Don't know what you want with all those city people Edie, its safer back home here."

End


End file.
